Telescoping tongue means usable for setting brakes on a farm wagon

ABSTRACT

Automatic brake setting means adapted to be enclosed in the tongue of a farm wagon. The tongue is adapted to telescope and thereby to pull the operating member of a stepped toggle control which operates the brake. Stop means is provided to hold the tongue in a set position until released either manually or by compressive force of more than normal magnitude.

United States Patent 1191 Sundermann Nov. 5, 1974 TELESCOPING TONGUE MEANS USABLE FOR SETTING BRAKES ON A FARM WAGON [76] Inventor: Henry L. Sundermann, Rt. 4, Box

79, Sioux Falls, S. Dak. 57101 22 Filed: June 26,1973

21 Appl. No.: 373,887

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 211,907, Dec. 27, 1971.

[52] U.S. Cl. 188/112, 188/3 R [51] Int. Cl B60t 7/20 [58] Field of Search 188/3 R, 3 H, 112, 119,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,824,554 9 1931 Lathers ..188/112 2,209,489 7/1940 Bieber 188/112 2,497,016 2/1950 Roberts 188/112 3,173,518 3/1965 Sill 188/112 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 172,303 6/1923 Great Britain 188/112 295,883 8/1928 Great Britain 188/112 Primary ExaminerDuane A. Reger [57] ABSTRACT 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TELESCOPING TONGUE MEANS USABLE FOR SETTING BRAKES ON A FARM WAGON BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This is a divisional application of my former application', Ser. No. 21 1,907, filed Dec. 27, 197i, and is principally directed to an automatic means for setting the brake described therein.

One of the hazards encountered in pulling a farm wagon particularly a loaded wagon behind a trac' tor is the possibility that the wagon will overrun the tractor on a downhill slope or in the event of an emergency stop. Wagon loads in current wagons can be very heavy and it is nearly essential for safety that some type of safety brake be provided.

My invention described in the parent application provides that type of brake. This application describes a particular type of automatic setting device for such a brake. The control is enclosed in the tongue of the wagon, and will be set by an emergency situation, or can be controlled by control of the tractor.

FIGURES FIG. 1 is a plan view of a wagon chassis with the brake and automatic tongue control in place,

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the tongue control,

FIG. 3 is a sectional viewalong line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detailed view of the control member on the tongue.

DESCRIPTION Briefly my invention comprises a safety setting mechanism for a brake on a wagon. The mechanism includes a telescoping wagon tongue having a rope or similar member engaged over pulleys in the tongue whereby the collapse of the tongue will provide fora shortening of the rope to operate the brake. I

More specifically, and referring to the drawings, my device is mounted on a running gear for a farm wagon having a frame ll on which is mounted a housing 10. The housing encloses a toggle mechanism as described in my aforesaid parent application, and bearing brake shoes 13. The shoes 13 are adapted to be pressed against rear tires 12 mounted on the wheels of the wagon.

The tongue of the wagon is formed of two telescoping parts. The outer part 45 may be pivoted to the wagon in the usual way. The inner part 46 is slidably telescoped within the outer part 45 and may carry the usual clevis 47 by which the wagon is attached to the drawbar of a tractor.

As best shown in FIG. 3, each of the parts of the tongue carries a pulley over which the rope 42 is trained. Thefirst pulley 48 is mounted on the outer part 45and the second pulley 49 on the inner part 46. The rope extends first about thefirst pulley 48 then over the second pulley 49to a loop 50 on the outer part 45 of the tongue.

This arrangement results in a condition in which the rope 42 will be pulled into the tongue as the telescoping parts are collapsed together. With the mechanical advantage of two, the rope will be withdrawn a distancev twice as great as the amount of shortening of the tongue by the collapsing action.

Stop means to control the movement of the tongue are also provided. This includes a spring loaded pressure arrangement preferably located atop the outer member 45 of the tongue (FIG. 4). A lever 53 is pivotally connected to ears 54 mounted on the member 45. Spring loading is accomplished by use of a relatively heavy compression spring 55 engaged between a collar 56 on a stud 57 attached to the member 45 and the lever 53 or a bracket thereon. Thus, there is a strong urging of the lever towards the member 45.

A yoke shaped roller-carrying lever 58 adapted to embrace the lever 53 is pivotally journalled to that lever. This yoke shaped lever carries a roller 59. In normal operation, the roller 59 extends through an opening in the upper part of the member 45 and is pressed with considerable force against the upper surface of the inner part 46. This upper surface may be dimpled or even slotted or the upper surface of the inner part 46 may be provided with a protuberance to provide for more positive holding action if desired, but ordinarily, enough friction is'generated between the inner and outer parts of the tongue by the heavy pressure of the spring so that an almost positive pulling engagement is achieved. Also, the inner member 45 is constructed so that there is a positive engagement between it, or the pulley on it and some part of the outer member so that there is a positive limit to the amount of extension possible between these two members.

Although the normal condition of operation requires a strong spring loaded pressure between the roller 59 and the inner member 46, means are provided to release that pressure. This means is simply an abutment leg 60 on each end of the yoke lever 58. Thus, by pressing the lever to a downward position embracing the lever 53, the yoke lever carries the legs 60 into contact with the upper surface of the outer member 45 adjacent the opening through which the roller 59 extends. By properly proportioning the lengthof' the legs 60, it is possible to provide that full depression of the yoke lever 58 will result in a complete release of the roller 59 from any engagement with the inner member 46. Thus, the inner member would then be free to slide within the outer member. This situation is desirable for After the tongue is attached to the pulling device, the

yoke lever 58 is released by raising itto the position shown in FIG. 4. The roller 59 is then in heavy frictional engagement with the inner member 46 and causing frictional engagement between the inner member and the outer member 45 of the telescoping tongue. Ordinary pulling or backing will not cause any slippage, but a sudden stop or excessive force tending to stop the trailing wagon through the tongue would cause slippage between the members. As the tongue collapses, the end 42 of the rope is pulled up and tends to set the brake on the rear wheels. Thus, if there is a sudden or emergency stop of the tractor, or if the wagon is on a downhill slope of sufficient magnitude, there is a safety brake on the rear wheels of the wagon which will drag and prevent overrunning of the tractor by the wagon.

I claim:

1. Tongue means for a wagon having brakes operated by a flexible member comprising an outer member, an inner member telescopically slidable within said outer member, pulley means on said members, said flexible means being arranged over said pulley means so that collapse of said telescoping members will cause said flexible member to be pulled into the tongue to actuate said brakes, and stop means including a spring loaded lever means mounted on said outer means, said outer means being formed with an opening therein, a part of said lever means extending through said opening to provide heavy frictional engagement between said lever means and said inner means.

2. The device of claim 1 in which manually operated release means is pivotally attached to said lever means and is engageable with said outer member whereby said lever means can be manually released from engagement with said inner member.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said lever means includes a roller pivotally mounted on the lever in position to contact said inner member, and said release means includes a yoke lever means pivotally mounted on said lever means and having legs extending therefrom, said legs being positioned and proportioned such that movement of said yoke lever means will cause said legs to engage said outer member to release said roller from pressure engagement with said inner member. 

1. Tongue means for a wagon having brakes operated by a flexible member comprising an outer member, an inner member telescopically slidable within said outer member, pulley means on said members, said flexible means being arranged over said pulley means so that collapse of said telescoping members will cause said flexible member to be pulled into the tongue to actuate said brakes, and stop means including a spring loaded lever means mounted on said outer means, said outer means being formed with an opening therein, a part of said lever means extending through said opening to provide heavy frictional engagement between said lever means and said inner means.
 2. The device of claim 1 in which manually operated release means is pivotally attached to said lever means and is engageable with said outer member whereby said lever means can be manually released from engagement with said inner member.
 3. The device of claim 2 in which said lever means includes a roller pivotally mounted on the lever in position to contact said inner member, and said release means includes a yoke lever means pivotally mounted on said lever means and having legs extending therefrom, said legs being positioned and proportioned such that movement of said yoke lever means will cause said legs to engage said outer member to release said roller from pressure engagement with said inner member. 